


Days Gone By

by La_Marquise



Category: Hunter X Hunter
Genre: Also I'm a sinner and I want to make PariTonpa a thing, Gen, hxh big bang submission, some of the chapters are really short sorry, this is my attempt to make Tonpa interesting, trollshipping
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-06-01
Updated: 2016-06-01
Packaged: 2018-07-11 13:55:47
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 11
Words: 7,000
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7055251
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/La_Marquise/pseuds/La_Marquise
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Tonpa is infamously known as the Rookie Crusher.  But, how did he begin his rookie-crushing career?  What made him what he is today?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I wrote this for the HxHBB 2016 event! If the writing seems rushed in places, that's because it is. I plan on editing it over time and improving it. Enjoy!

The first time Tonpa officially participated in the Hunter Exam, he was twelve years old. Generally, when asked, he named that attempt to be his first, as it was the first time he had actually been registered. However, if he was being completely honest (a rarity to be sure), Tonpa would admit that the first time he’d attempted the Hunter Exam, he’d been eight years old and had failed to find the exam site.

He hadn’t been alone; Tonpa had never been an ambitious individual, and certainly wasn’t at the age of eight; had he been left to his own devices he would have quite contentedly lived out his childhood without giving the Hunter Exam a second thought. Had it not been for Maro, he might not have even known what the Hunter Exam even was.

It had been quite a cold day, cloudy and overcast in late December when Maro had bounded up to Tonpa (who had been quietly drawing pictures in the dirt with a twig) and excitedly proclaimed that he was going to take the Hunter Exam.

“What’s that?” Tonpa asked, blinking up at his friend from his crouched position.

“It’s this really, really hard thing that you do, and when you finish it, you can do whatever you want. Anything. You get all the money you need.”

“How much money?” Tonpa narrowed his eyes suspiciously.

“As much as you want. Probably at least a million jenny. At least.”

“And you can buy whatever you want with it?”

“Anything. But,” Maro’s brow creased and his jaw stiffened, “you have to be ready to do dangerous stuff.”

“How dangerous?” Tonpa, who had resumed drawing in the dirt, squinted up at his friend.

“Jona, you know, the grocer’s son, told me that his cousin took the Hunter Exam once. His cousin said that they made him fight a giant fire-breathing snake with only his hands.” Maro nodded sagely as he spoke, eager to impart the wisdom of the local grocer’s son.

“Sounds hard,” Tonpa muttered glumly, frowning and looking back down at the ground. “I don’t think I’d be any good at it, anyway.” He stuck out his lower lip.

“Sure you would!” Maro beamed at his friend. “The exam is next week. I’m going to go take it. 

You should come.”

“Where is it?”

Maro’s face grew serious. “I… I don’t know,” he admitted. “But I’ll find it! That’s part of the test. Finding it.”

“Did Jona tell you that?”

“Yep!” Maro nodded. “He’s smart. He knows a lot of things.”

“I guess,” Tonpa muttered. “Smarter than me.” He let his stick fall to the ground. “Maro? Maybe you should go with Jona, and not me.” His brow furrowed and his lip jutted out. “He’d be better.”

“Tonpa, that’s stupid. I want you to come.”

Tonpa’s lip quivered. “Really?”

“Yeah. You’re my best friend! Who else would I want?”

“Oh.” Tonpa blinked, stymied. “Okay, then. When do we go?”

Maro beamed. “Let’s start now! We’ll have plenty of time to find it now!”

The two boys set off, packing their bags full of chocolate and soft drinks for the long trek ahead. Predictably, their journey was cut short by nightfall and the two boys, tired and cold, returned home.


	2. Chapter 2

They didn’t attempt to take the Hunter Exam for another two years. As it turned out, games of tag and playing soldier took precedence over most things, including things as important as Hunter Exams. That is not to say that the thought of registering for the exam again did not cross their minds; Maro often remarked on how he needed to work extra hard to train for the exam, and how Tonpa needed to work just as hard. Tonpa would always agree, no matter his real feelings. In truth, he had no shortage of misgivings about taking the exam; he’d heard many stories about just how dangerous and even deadly it could be. For Tonpa, the childish feeling of invincibility left him much earlier that it does many children, and his desire for self-preservation clashed with his desire to see his best friend succeed.

Despite Tonpa’s misgivings, it was he who orchestrated a way for them to find the Hunter Exam’s location. The opportunity had presented itself purely by chance: a man passing through their town had drank a little too much proclaimed a little too loudly that he was on his way to become a Hunter, and that he knew exactly where the exam site was. Of course, he didn’t think to censor himself in front of a ten year old. After all, what ten-year-old would want to take the Hunter Exam in the first place?

“We need to follow him in secret,” Tonpa told Maro that evening as they packed their bags.

“Why?” Maro’s large eyes widened in surprise.

“Because he might try to stop us.”

“But why would he do that?”

Tonpa sighed. “Because some people are mean.”

Thankfully, Maro didn’t protest further, and the two boys followed the would-be hunter in secret for three days before reaching the exam site. Their arrival was greeted by rolled eyes and derisive snorts. Tonpa scowled and considered leaving, but Maro grabbed his arm and murmured “don’t listen to them, Tonpa! We’re going to do this.”

Tonpa had never been very good at telling his best friend “no,” so he nodded and held firm in his resolve to get as far as he could.

“Go home, kids.” A gruff voice from behind him made Tonpa jump and spin around, almost losing his footing and tumbling to the floor.

The man who had spoken was tall, broad, and scarred. In Tonpa’s opinion, he looked as though he knew what he was talking about.

“Seriously, go home,” the man continued, dark eyes sweeping over the two boys. “This is no place for a pair of kids. I don’t know how you two found this place, but if you know what’s good for you, you’ll leave now.”

“Don’t listen to him,” Maro muttered. “We’re going to try.”

***

The exam began, and they did indeed try their best. At least, Maro did. Tonpa wished that he could say he tried, but he froze up and couldn’t even complete the first stage. Seeing his fellow competitors bravely face imminent injury (or worse) made his legs give out, and he resigned himself to failure. Of course, Maro stopped with him, claiming that they would just try again the next year. Tonpa had only been able to nod and hold back tears of shame.


	3. Chapter 3

Maro’s younger sister had always wanted to tag along and participate in their games, so of course, it only stood to reason that she’d want to accompany them on one of their attempts at taking the Hunter Exam.

“You’re too young, Syl,” Maro chided as he and Tonpa packed their bags in preparation for their ninth official attempt.

“You keep saying that!” Syl replied, tying her thick, curly dark hair back and away from her face. “I’m only two years younger than you. Besides, you’ll probably say it forever.”

Maro laughed. “Yep.”

“Come on, Maro, let her come.” Tonpa felt his face heat up when Syl flashed him a grateful smile. For the years he’d known Maro, Tonpa had always regarded Syl as the often annoying, sometimes cute younger sister who always tagged along hindering their fun, but lately Tonpa found himself becoming more and more aware of just how bubbly she was. Her smiles were bright, frequent, and infectious, and Tonpa admitted to himself that lately he’d been willing to do almost anything to have one of her smiles directed at him.

Maro sighed. “Okay, okay. She can come. But the second it gets dangerous, we’re leaving, understand?”

Syl nodded happily and ran to gather her belongings.

***

There seemed to be more applicants than usual this time around, and there seemed to be an overwhelming number of young applicants. Tonpa noticed that quite a few couldn’t have been older than fifteen.

Of course, there were many seasoned veterans of the exam who tried to dissuade the newest batch of rookies from entering. Tonpa would be lying if he said that he wasn’t tempted to do the same. In his opinion, both he and Maro had managed to take the Exam multiple times and emerge unscathed only by some strange act of divinity. In truth, the only reason he kept attempting the Hunter Exam was that Maro wanted him to.

Naturally, Maro did nothing to dissuade the rookies from taking the Exam. In fact, he encouraged them.

“Even if you fail it’s still a great feeling knowing that you made it this far!” Maro had exclaimed happily when a young boy asked him whether he was sad to have failed the exam multiple times. He’d then pointed at Tonpa, who shrank back a bit. “That guy’s my best friend, see? We’re going to keep taking the Exam until we pass!”

The boy’s eyes had widened in wonderment at Maro’s words before declaring that he would most definitely pass and traipsing off to join his friends.

“Do you think that kid has a chance of passing?” Tonpa asked Maro once he knew that the boy was out of earshot.

Maro shrugged. “Who knows? Maybe we’ll be lucky, and this exam won’t be quite as harsh.” He grinned. “Maybe we’ll all pass!”

*** 

Unfortunately, Maro was wrong. The exam was brutal. By the middle of the second phase, many applicants had either been grievously injured, or worse. They’d been tasked with navigating a vast desert valley full of dangerous creatures with very little in the way of weapons or provisions.

“This is a death trap,” Tonpa had declared upon entering the valley.

“Do you want to turn back?” Maro had fixed him with a sincere and searching look. “We can, you know. It’s okay to turn back. We’ll try next year.”

Tonpa dearly wanted to say that yes, he did want to turn back. That no, he didn’t really want to take the exam again, that it was too dangerous for the likes of him, that he was too much of a coward to risk his life for monetary gain and pride. But instead, he looked at Maro’s serious face and into Syl’s large, questioning, concerned eyes and crumbled. He shook his head. “No, let’s keep going.” 

They had been in the valley for no more than a few hours before they heard the screams. Maro, always so concerned for the well-being of others, immediately ran towards the sound. By the time they got there, though, it was clearly too late. Who, or whatever had been there first was gone, but the source of the screaming still remained.

Three boys, or rather, what was left of them, lay on the ground, covered in blood. They were young, younger than Tonpa, who immediately recognized one of them as the boy seeking encouragement from Maro back before the beginning of Phase 1. He was obviously dead; his chest was a bloody mess, his left arm had been ripped off and lay about three feet above his head. His glassy eyes stared blankly at a sky that he could no longer see.

A wet, raspy gurgling was coming from another boy, whose broken body laid a few feet away from the others. His chest heaved, his eyes were wide. His throat had been torn open, and a gush of blood spurted forth with each tortured attempt at breathing. He only managed two or three more labored breaths before spasming, choking on his own blood. Maro rushed forward in an attempt to help the dying boy, but Tonpa drew back, seeing it to be a hopeless cause.

“Maro,” he murmured softly as his friend knelt before the mangled body, “Maro, he’s dead. Leave him be.”

It took Maro a few moments to listen. Finally, he drew back. His face was white and his hands were shaking.

“What… what did this?” he asked, eyes wide.

“I don’t know.” Glancing at the bodies once more, Tonpa felt his stomach lurch; he doubled over and vomited. He could hear Syl crying softly somewhere behind him. “Maro, we need to get out.”

“Yeah.” Maro swallowed thickly. “Yeah we do.” He scrambled to his feet. “Come on.”

The three of them hurried away, trying to put as much distance between themselves and the three mangled bodies of the would-be hunters as possible. They didn’t speak very much, choosing to focus on making their escape. 

They took shelter by a large craggy rock and stood panting and red-faced as they recovered from their run. It was Syl who spoke first, and her voice shook with fear and exertion.

“What do you think did that to those boys?” 

“I don’t know.” Maro shook his head. “I don’t know.”

***

Night had fallen. The three of them wandered the barren landscape, beginning to shiver as the temperature plunged down to near-freezing. 

“Are we lost?” Tonpa asked, dreading the answer.

“I think so.”

“Oh.”

Nothing more was said for some time, until Syl’s voice, a panicked whisper, broke the silence.

“Do you hear that?”

“Hear what?”

“Sh.”

They all listened. At first, Tonpa heard nothing, only the wind. Soon, though, he heard it. The sound of something creeping up on them. Something large. Then he heard the low growl, slicing through the dark.

“Run.” Tonpa was vaguely aware that his friend had given him an order, but he stood, paralyzed in terror as whatever lurked in the dark drew ever closer. “Run!”

Maro’s panicked yell pulled Tonpa from his trance, and he turned and ran. He was exhausted from the day, but he ran as hard and as fast as he could. He ran until he thought his lungs would catch fire. Tonpa wasn’t very good at much, but he had always been very adept at running away. From behind him, he heard a scream, accompanied by a snarl. He wanted to look back, to see what had happened, but he didn’t dare. Maro’s voice rang out through the darkness, followed by more screams, roars, and yells. Tonpa suddenly knew that his friend was no longer right behind him. He wanted to turn back, to help Maro and Syl, to face whatever it was that was chasing them, but still he ran on. He knew that it would be the right thing to do, that Maro would do the same for him, but any reason was overpowered by the knowledge that as long as the thing in the dark was preoccupied, Tonpa would have a better chance of escaping. Of surviving.

He kept running. His legs burned, his feet were bleeding, but he didn’t care. He kept on running as fast as he could, and didn’t stop until he saw lights up ahead. Lights. Fire. People. He ran towards them, crying out for help as loudly as he could. A whirlwind of confused and frightened faces surrounded him, and Tonpa barely had time to gasp out “a monster… in the dark… my friends,” before collapsing into blissful unconsciousness.


	4. Chapter 4

Initially, Tonpa had no intention of taking the Hunter Exam again. He’d done it nine times before, after all. Why fail another time? Besides, he had no reason to do it again. He’d only ever done it in the past because Maro had wanted him to, and now Maro was gone.

They’d found Maro the morning after Tonpa had run screaming into an encampment of would be hunters. Syl, too. Their partially-eaten remains had been found near the entrance of a rocky cave. Whatever had taken them was nowhere to be found, though it was speculated to have been some kind of bear. No one ever knew for sure. One thing, was certain, though: Maro was dead, Syl, too, and Tonpa had to live with the fact that he’d run away while they were being torn apart.

Tonpa speculated that the creature had caught up with Syl first, and Maro, always wanting to protect his friends and family, had gone back for her. A mistake. A stupid mistake. As far as Tonpa was concerned, going to take the exam in the first place had been a mistake, and he’d vowed never to take it again.

But, despite all of that, here he was, at the start of Phase One of the 263rd Hunter Exam. He was surrounded by hopeful applicants, young and old. Some faces were familiar. As the applicants prepared to begin the first phase, Tonpa noticed a young boy standing off to the side of the crowd. He was young, no more than thirteen.

“Hey, kid!” Tonpa called, heading over to the boy, who looked very small and afraid.

“Yeah?” The boy blinked at Tonpa in surprise. “Can I help you, Sir?”

“You know this is the Hunter Exam, right?” Tonpa fixed the boy with a hard stare.

“Yeah…?” 

“You know how dangerous it is, right?”

“Yeah, I do.”

Tonpa narrowed his eyes. “Look, kid, I know that becoming a Hunter seems like a really cool thing. But trust me, it’s not worth it. These exams are dangerous. Trust me. I’ve seen stronger people than you get taken out like that!” He snapped his fingers for emphasis.

“O-oh?” The boy’s eyes widened.

“Yeah,” Tonpa continued. “I saw it happen too. Once-” He stopped, unable to give the details of Maro’s demise. He wanted to tell the boy what had happened, tell him how Maro had looked when they found him, how they’d sent what was left of him back to his parents in a small cardboard box, but every time he tried to get the words out, bile rose in his throat. “Just be careful,” he muttered before walking away. 

He dropped out before the end of the first phase.


	5. Chapter 5

Every year, Tonpa vowed that he’d never take the Hunter Exam again. After all, what kind of institution allows the sick, the weak, young, the old, the...the cowardly compete, knowing full well that most of them won’t ever make it out alive? What kind of sick people condone that? Tonpa didn’t want any part of it. But, for all his misgivings, Tonpa still found himself at the exam site each year.

Instead of worrying about passing each phase of the exam, however, Tonpa began to seek out applicants who looked new, confused, or weak. He’d chat to them, ask them about themselves, then calmly tell them, in graphic detail, about the horrors of previous exams. Of course, many of his tales were embellished, but they did the job. More often than not, the newbies would blanche at his words, stutter out a lame excuse, and then quietly, inconspicuously, withdraw from the exam before it began. Tonpa couldn’t help but feel a surge of satisfaction at this. If by dissuading would-be Hunters from taking the exam prevented even one death, he felt vindicated.

Sometimes, though, people didn’t listen. They’d just give Tonpa this cocky grin and declare that they were going to pass the exam no matter what. To be honest, Tonpa loathed this cockiness, this uncalled for confidence. Maro had been confident too, once, and look what had happened to him.

One particularly infuriating applicant was one whom Tonpa encountered at the 267th Hunter Exam. He had clearly been the youngest there by at least ten years. He was unkempt and scruffy, and his eyes shone with childish optimism. Of course, Tonpa couldn’t let such a naive child take the exam. However, despite everything that Tonpa said to dissuade him, the stubborn little shit refused to back down.

“I’m going to become a Hunter!” he’d proudly declared. “And no one alive is going to stop me.”

Much to Tonpa’s surprise, the kid did in fact, become a Hunter. On his first try. What were the odds? Tonpa couldn’t really remember the kid’s name, except that it was something like Gin, or Ging, or Gring. Not that it mattered.


	6. Chapter 6

It became clear to Tonpa that he would have to resort to more drastic measures to keep the unqualified from taking the exam. At the 270th exam, Tonpa began handing out tainted drinks. Some had been laced with laxatives, others, with powerful antihistamines to render the consumer too exhausted to compete. At first, Tonpa felt a twinge of guilt at his actions, but he reasoned that it was for their own good. Really, it was. They would thank him later.

*** 

“Goddamn rookies,” Tonpa muttered under his breath. He reached into his bag to make sure his usual arsenal of laxative-laced soft drinks was at the ready. “When will these kids learn?” It was the 273rd Hunter Exam, and Tonpa had already decided that he didn’t like this year’s batch of rookies. Many of them looked weak and puny: they’d be easy to pick off. However, there were also some rookies who seemed to ooze that swaggering confidence that Tonpa couldn’t stand; he’d go for them, first.

There was one in particular, Applicant #137. Tonpa noticed him immediately. The boy, young man, rather, had swaggered right into the exam site as if he owned the place. A huge grin that did not quite reach his eyes was plastered to his face. That face. Tonpa had never wanted to punch a face so badly before in his life. The man’s face was flawless in the most unsettling of ways: perfect, ageless skin, large dark eyes, shiny, white teeth, all framed by perfectly arranged golden hair. Tonpa knew that he needed to eliminate this applicant as soon as possible.

“Hi, you new?” Tonpa put on his best friendly smile and held out a hand to the boy, who hesitated for a moment before giving a firm handshake.

“Yes, how did you know?” The boy smiled at him, exposing his teeth once more.

“Oh, I’m a veteran of these things.” Tonpa chuckled. “I’ve taken this exam almost twenty times now!”

“Oh really? Interesting.” Applicant #137 still had that annoyingly insincere smile on his face; he sounded incredibly bored,

“Yeah.” Tonpa forced another smile. “So if you have any questions, any at all, feel free to ask me!”

“I’ll bear that in mind.” The young man’s smile did not falter for even a second. “Though forgive me, Mr., um…”

“Tonpa. That name’s Tonpa.”

“Tonpa! Then, please forgive me, Mr. Tonpa, but I do not see why advice from someone who has failed the Hunter Exam nearly twenty times would be of any use to me.” His grin broadened. “I’ll see you around, Mr. Tonpa! Good luck on the exam!” With a small wave, the young man turned on his heel and swanned away.

Tonpa just stood there, dumbstruck by the man’s words. When he finally processed exactly what had just happened, he scowled. “Arrogant little bastard,” he mumbled under his breath. For a moment, Tonpa thought that it would be better to just let the cocky guy go and get himself killed. It seemed like a good idea, until it occurred to Tonpa that the guy would probably actually pass the exam if left to his own devices. He seemed the type. Tonpa was suddenly overcome by an all-consuming desire to see the blonde brat fail. He was just so goddamn cocky. Not to mention a huge asshole. And why should somebody like that be allowed to succeed when so many perfectly nice people had failed miserably? Tonpa couldn’t think of a reason, and decided that he would do everything he could to crush Applicant #137’s ego.

Gathering his resolve, Tonpa managed to put on his most winning smile and wove his way through the throngs of hopeful applicants towards his target. Applicant #137 wasn’t difficult to find; the young man had somehow already managed to surround himself with a group of people, all of whom were fawning over him for reasons Tonpa couldn’t understand. He curled his lip in disgust as he watched the blonde boy smile and soak up all the attention. Tonpa couldn’t be sure, but he almost felt as though the boy was sparkling from all the attention.

The boy caught sight of Tonpa and flashed him yet another grin. “Oh, Mr. Tonpa! Did you need something?”

“I, uh, erm…” Tonpa floundered, feeling utterly disarmed by the boy’s unnerving stare. He took a deep breath to steady himself before continuing. “I just wanted to offer you a drink! To toast to your imminent success.” He smiled and held out a can of juice. “What do you say?”

The boy’s dark eyes rested on the can of juice for a few moments, and Tonpa swore he saw the slightest twitch of his lips. When the boy looked at Tonpa again, his smile was back. “How kind of you, Mr. Tonpa! But,” he gave Tonpa an apologetic look, “I don’t think it would be fair of me to accept your offer, not when there are so many other people here! Do you have enough for everyone?”

“Um, well, no…” Tonpa admitted, knowing exactly where this was headed. “But…”

“Well, if there isn’t enough for everyone, then I must refuse. But thank you for your kind offer, Mr. Tonpa. Perhaps sometime later, we can have a drink together. When we’re both Hunters.” 

Tonpa was about to respond, but the boy cut him off.

“Oh, and Mr. Tonpa?” The boy’s smile faded slightly. “Be careful during the exam. Sometimes even the most experienced applicants run into trouble.” His voice lowered. “And you know, I’ve heard that in the final phases, even the closest of friends turn on each other. You’ve already been so nice to me, I’d hate to see that happen to you. Who knows, maybe we’d even have to fight each other!” He laughed as he finished speaking. “But hopefully, it won’t come to that, right? See you around, Mr. Tonpa.”

Tonpa felt his blood run cold as he watched the boy walk away. He might not have been the smartest man alive, or the most perceptive, but even he could detect a thinly-veiled threat. He knew that he should stay far away from that boy, whoever he was. He decided that he would drop out of the first phase of the exam that year. He didn’t want to risk running into that boy again. Still, he figured that it would be a shame to let his “special juice” go to waste, so he went in search of some other rookies to target. In a strange way, forcing someone else to drop out of the exam would make him feel better.


	7. Chapter 7

Fifty. By the time of the 278th Hunter Exam, Tonpa had managed to “dissuade” fifty rookies from taking part. At first, he felt bad giving them the cans of tainted juice, even though he knew it was for the best. But, over time that guilt had turned into a deep sense of satisfaction. And now, Tonpa had to admit, that satisfaction had turned into a sort of pleasure. After all, who were they to show up at the exam as if they didn’t have a care in the world? How dare they?

Tonpa was aware that he’d been garnering a reputation amongst those who sought to take the exam. Some of those who had fallen victim to his schemes had been undeterred from attempting the exam a second, or even a third time, and knew to stay clear of him. Some of these applicants warned others about Tonpa’s mischief, while others, not wanting any trouble and perhaps hoping to narrow down the competition, said nothing. Some even went as far as to help Tonpa in his mission to eliminate rookies early on. Tonpa didn’t mind this one bit. In fact, he rather enjoyed it, and even took some pride in his new moniker: the rookie crusher. It suited him well, he thought. After all, he had devoted himself to crushing the foolish dreams of the young and impressionable.

Sometimes, in the split second before Tonpa’s target fell into one of traps, Tonpa would feel a small twinge of guilt. If Maro was still there, he’d surely disapprove. No, Maro would definitely not help Tonpa with any of his schemes. In fact, he’d probably go out of his way to help the rookies. After all, that’s what he’d been like when they were kids. He’d probably be very much the same if he’d grown up. But Maro was not there. Maro had not been allowed to grow up. Maro was dead.

 

By the 280th Hunter Exam, Tonpa finally admitted to himself that he had no intention of ever actually passing the damn thing. For nearly a decade, he’d shown up to each Hunter Exam with the primary goal of eliminating other applicants. Usually after the first phase, maybe the second if it was easy enough, Tonpa would drop out with little to no explanation. No, he definitely had no intention of ever actually becoming a Hunter. Not that he could if he wanted to. Tonpa had never been a particularly physically fit person, and now as he approached the age of forty, that fact only became more and more apparent. He’d never been very muscular or thin, but now he was definitely starting to put on weight, particularly around the middle. He’d also managed to partake in several Hunter Exams without gaining any significant muscle mass in his arms or legs. No, becoming a Hunter was definitely not in Tonpa’s future, but Tonpa didn’t care.


	8. Chapter 8

Another Exam had come and gone, and Tonpa had crushed a few more rookies. Quite a few, actually. Five. A good number for just one year. He’d gotten them all before the Exam had even started, too. A record! He hadn’t even had to complete Phase One. Tonpa had feigned an injury and “gracefully” bowed out. After leaving the exam site, Tonpa checked into a hotel and prepared himself for a relaxing evening, secure in the knowledge that he had prevented another round of stupid, naive kids from getting themselves killed for no good reason.

It wasn’t all that late, so Tonpa decided to go out and have a few drinks. He deserved it. He selected a bar that was not too far from his hotel, one that looked like it had affordable, reasonably good alcohol, and went inside.

He started off with a beer. It wasn’t particularly high quality stuff, but it suited his purposes. In recent years, Tonpa found himself drinking more, especially after the Hunter Exam. He drained his beer, ordered another and another after that. He was about to order a fourth, but was interrupted by an unsettlingly cheerful sounding voice.

“Here, let me.”

Tonpa looked up and gawked. It was him. There was no mistaking it. It had been years (how many? Five? Seven? Ten?) but Tonpa recognized him immediately. He looked almost exactly the same: that ageless face, those dark eyes, that perfectly-styled golden hair; Applicant #137 was standing next to him, grinning as if he were an old friend.

“What are you drinking?” The blonde man continued as if he had not noticed Tonpa’s evident shock. His eyes fell on the empty beer bottles and a shadow of a grimace flickered across his face. “Surely you don’t want another one of these?” He chuckled. “I’ll handle it.” He raised his hand and called the bartender over.

Tonpa balked when he heard the man order a bottle of the most expensive liquor on the menu. “Don’t, I can’t spend that much on booze!”

The man laughed, his perfect white teeth flashing as he did so. “I’ll take care of it, don’t worry.” He reached into one of the pockets of his suit (which, Tonpa noticed, was incredibly shiny) and pulled out his wallet. “Hm… now where is it? Ah!” The blonde man pulled out what Tonpa immediately recognized as a Hunter License. “Here it is.”

“So you passed the test, huh?” Tonpa accepted a glass of the expensive cognac that the garishly-dressed man handed him and took a sip. 

“Of course.” The man laughed. “Did you not think I would?”

Tonpa shrugged. “Didn’t really care much.” He nodded at the bottle of cognac. “So what’s the occasion?”

“Ah, I’m celebrating. I’ve been promoted.”

“Good for you.” Tonpa took another drink.

“Thank you!” The man beamed despite Tonpa’s lack of enthusiasm. “So, how are you doing, Mr. Tonpa? I’d ask whether you’d passed the Hunter Exam, but I know the answer.”

“Of course you do.”

“Yes.”

Tonpa finished his glass and poured another. “So. What’s your name, Applicant #137?”

“My name? Oh dear, you mean I never introduced myself? Even after all these years? How rude of me.” The man giggled sheepishly. “My name’s Pariston Hill. I do apologize.”

Tonpa didn’t think he was sorry at all. “Don’t worry about it. So, what’s a Hunter like you doing in a place like this?”

Pariston shrugged, idly swirling his cognac. “Felt like stopping by. How fortuitous that I’d run into you, though. What are the odds?” He laughed again. “So, are you enjoying taking the Hunter Exam each year? Or has the novelty finally worn off?”

“It’s fine.”

“And are you still singling out the rookies?”

“What’s it to you?”

“Just asking.” Pariston shrugged and scooted his barstool closer. His knee began to press into Tonpa’s thigh; he was so close that Tonpa could smell his cologne. It made him feel a bit ill.

“So,” Pariston continued, “do you enjoy it? Crushing the rookies, I mean.”

“I… I don’t know.” Tonpa furrowed his brow. “I do it for their own good, really.” He felt lightheaded and slightly dizzy. The cognac was strong.

“Oh, come on.” Pariston somehow got even closer. “We both know your intentions aren’t that noble. You love it. Watching their hopes of success crumble.” He paused to let Tonpa speak. When he didn’t, Pariston cocked an eyebrow and continued. “Do you get off on it?”

Tonpa choked on his drink. “What?”

Pariston shrugged. “Just asking. Everyone has something.”

“Well, that’s not what floats my boat, sorry to disappoint you.”

Pariston waved a hand dismissively. “It doesn’t matter to me.” He fell silent for a moment, then yawned. “Well, I do think it’s time for me to go back to my hotel.”

“So you’re staying in this town too?”

“But of course. Do you want to see my room?”

Tonpa gave Pariston an incredulous look, and the blonde man burst into laughter. “No need to look so offended, Mr. Tonpa. I was only joking.”

He stood up. “I do need to leave, though. Enjoy the cognac. It’s paid for. See you around, Mr. Tonpa.” With a light wave Pariston left, leaving Tonpa alone with a bottle of liquor that cost more than he made in a year.


	9. Chapter 9

Each year, after that encounter in the bar, Tonpa began receiving letters. They all arrived in unmarked envelopes, and contained no name or return address, only the words “good luck with this year’s exam,” written in neat, embellished handwriting. Tonpa knew exactly who sent them.

***

As the years passed, the Hunter Exams and the applicants seemed to blur. One year, the 286th exam, a first-timer almost killed an examiner. Tonpa hadn’t even tried to eliminate him. The following year, several rookies passed, despite Tonpa’s best efforts. One of them, a short, dark-haired boy, proved to be particularly resilient, confident, and optimistic. He reminded Tonpa of someone, though he couldn’t quite figure out who.

As it turned out, Tonpa made it farther in the 287th Hunter Exam than he ever had before, and for a brief moment, he considered giving it his all and trying to pass. Of course, it was not to be, and he failed. Not that he was surprised.

The evening after his elimination, Tonpa found the closest bar and ordered as many cheap beers as he could. He had been foolish to try. Besides, why did he even want to become a Hunter? Why would he have any interest in such a cruel, careless organization? Why would anyone. His bitter thoughts prompted him to order another drink, but as he called out to the bartender, he heard a familiar voice behind him murmur: “here, let me.”


	10. Chapter 10

Each year, after that encounter in the bar, Tonpa began receiving letters. They all arrived in unmarked envelopes, and contained no name or return address, only the words “good luck with this year’s exam,” written in neat, embellished handwriting. Tonpa knew exactly who sent them.

***

As the years passed, the Hunter Exams and the applicants seemed to blur. One year, the 286th exam, a first-timer almost killed an examiner. Tonpa hadn’t even tried to eliminate him. The following year, several rookies passed, despite Tonpa’s best efforts. One of them, a short, dark-haired boy, proved to be particularly resilient, confident, and optimistic. He reminded Tonpa of someone, though he couldn’t quite figure out who.

As it turned out, Tonpa made it farther in the 287th Hunter Exam than he ever had before, and for a brief moment, he considered giving it his all and trying to pass. Of course, it was not to be, and he failed. Not that he was surprised.

The evening after his elimination, Tonpa found the closest bar and ordered as many cheap beers as he could. He had been foolish to try. Besides, why did he even want to become a Hunter? Why would he have any interest in such a cruel, careless organization? Why would anyone. His bitter thoughts prompted him to order another drink, but as he called out to the bartender, he heard a familiar voice behind him murmur: “here, let me.”


	11. Present Day

Tonpa now swears each year that this exam will be his last. He’s too old, too weak, too stupid to compete again. And yet, each year he does. And each year he continues to crush as many rookies as he can. It’s a habit he can’t seem to break.

Finally, one year, Tonpa makes it past the first and the second phases of the exam. He’s not sure how he did it; perhaps they just happened to be easier than usual, or perhaps he was just luckier than usual. He doesn’t know.

As the remaining applicants (for some reason there aren’t very many left) gather in the designated spot, there is an announcement that makes Tonpa cock his head in confusion.

“Attention all Applicants. The third and final phase of the Hunter Exam is about to begin. When your number is called, proceed to the designated room.”

.

Third and final phase? This couldn’t be right. There were usually at least four or five phases each year. Tonpa briefly considers ducking out and heading home, but sees the doors have been barred. No turning back now.

When his name is called, he trudges wearily to Room 82. He’s told to sit down and wait for the examiner to arrive, and he obeys. He waits. And waits. Ten minutes pass. Fifteen, twenty. Tonpa is sure that the other applicants didn’t have to wait this long. Finally, at long last, the door opens.

“Welcome to the final phase, Mr. Tonpa.”

Tonpa balks when he sees that Pariston has entered the room. Despite the passage of time, Pariston still looks exactly the same. Tonpa inwardly grumbles, thinking about his own expanding waistline and greying hair.

Pariston doesn’t seem to notice this, and sits down across from Tonpa. “Are you excited to have made it to the final phase?”

Tonpa shrugs. “Not really. I couldn’t really care less.”

Pariston cocks an eyebrow. “Is that so? Well, in any case, let us begin.” He reaches into his briefcase and pulls out some papers. After making a show of rustling them around he looks up at Tonpa and smiles. “Are you ready?”

“I guess.”

Pariston flashes his teeth. “Good! Now, Mr. Tonpa, this year the exam is a bit different. You see, many people have been complaining about the type of people who are becoming Hunters nowadays, and we had to think of something to weed out the sorts we don’t want.”

“Okay…”

“So, this will seem unorthodox, but the Association told me that they trust my judgement. So,” Pariston fixes Tonpa with an unfaltering stare, “I want you to tell me why I should let you become a Hunter.”

Tonpa stares at him incredulously from across the table. “What?”

“You heard me.”

“That’s all?”

“Yes.” Pariston smiles yet again. “That’s all.”

“Oh.” Tonpa is silent for a moment, and then speaks. He doesn't want to, but he tells Pariston everything. He tells him that he doesn't want to become a Hunter, that he never really did. He tells him that the stupid dream of becoming a Hunter cost the best friend he ever had his life. He tells Pariston that he hates the Hunter Association and all that it stands for. He says that he has absolutely no desire to pass the exam, that a Hunter license would be wasted on him, that he has spent the past three decades trying to ruin the exam for everyone else. Tonpa tells Pariston that he is the opposite of what a Hunter should be.

Pariston listens to all of this, his chin resting on his knuckles. Then, he smiles and tells Tonpa that he passed.

***

As he leaves, Tonpa stares at his new Hunter license. The bold emblem of the Hunter Association seems to sneer at him. He'd tried to tell Pariston that he was wrong. He'd tried to reject the Hunter license, but it was no good. The decision was final. Tonpa is now a Hunter whether he likes it or not.

As he exits the building, Tonpa tosses the license into a nearby trashcan.

***

When he finally gets home two days later, Tonpa finds a plain white envelope waiting for him on the doorstep. With a sigh, he opens it, already knowing what's inside. 

As expected, Tonpa finds his Hunter license along with a small slip of paper. Written on it was a single sentence:

“Dear Mr. Tonpa, I believe you dropped this.”


End file.
